A single mouse scurrying through your house is not pleasant, but a trail of mouse droppings could be a sign of something worse.
A mice infestation is an issue that various homeowners’ witness and you do not need to relax for those tiny creatures to appear before you look into it. So let’s say you found mouse droppings but no mouse, what exactly should you know or do?
Take action immediately if you notice any mouse droppings to prevent these resourceful rodents from creating a more massive infestation. One of the most annoying signs is when you find mouse droppings but no mouse.
What is your next step or better still, what steps are you going to follow?
Steps to Take if You Found Mouse Poop but no Mouse in Sight
Take stock
First and foremost, you need to relax a bit because you have only found mouse droppings but no mouse. The main reason you need to relax is that you might be lucky that there is no mice infestation.
You will need to wait patiently until the evening to notice if you hear any noises around your home because mice tend to be much more active at night.
Clean up
Do you know that mice are charmed to food, protection, comfort, and warmth? Assuming your home has a rich source of food like opened food boxes, crumbs, and many more, you indirectly invite mice into your home.
Make sure you clean your food away and get rid of those that can attract them. Do not just stop with the kitchen; perform a deep clean all over your home—store items in their respective places and eliminate food particles, especially in your attic.
Find Mice Access Points
Go around your home to search at common mouse entry points. You must fix any entry points to prevent them from entering your home. You can perform constant checks around your property to see if any entry points have appeared since you checked the last time.
It is better and more comfortable to prevent mice from getting in than getting rid of them immediately they enter your home.
Get some Traps
If you think you have mice in your home because of the droppings you notice, you should certainly think of buying one of the best mouse trap options. It is crucial that mouse traps are set in the right way, or it could lead to your bait stolen.
While you consider getting a trap, know that having the best trap will surely get hold of the mouse quickly. You can have at least 8 to 10 mouse traps set up around your home, even though you feel they cannot penetrate your home.
You can place your traps in the attic, outdoors, etc. You should do this because you cannot be 100 percent sure that a mouse will not enter your home.
Clean up the mouse droppings
Diseases such as Hantavirus can come from Mice droppings. You should make sure you clean up all areas where you have seen or noticed mice activity. Make sure that you have eliminated all evidence of mouse droppings.
Remain vigilant
Now that you know where the mouse dropping is, it is required of you to stay alert. Stay vigilant in ways like;
You cannot afford to relax or remain calm on your laurels, just because you haven’t seen a mouse. That you have seen mouse droppings is a good sign that you need to become ready to see mice.
What does Mouse Droppings Look Like?
Mouse Droppings Description
It can be tough to differentiate between mouse droppings from rat droppings or other pest droppings, but the size is a significant factor.
Generally, mouse droppings are precisely at an eight to a quarter of an inch in length. Mouse droppings are also tapered at the ends and probably look like the dark grains of rice.
Apart from what you must have heard, determining how old rodent droppings are is fierce as the color usually relies on the food source. The perfect way to determine the age of the droppings is to get rid of the droppings, or remove them professionally, and then re-inspect the area after a whole day.
Assuming that you have new droppings, then you have a present infestation. Rat droppings are often half of an inch in length. These droppings are not only wider, but larger than mouse droppings.
Other Places in the House to Confirm Mouse Droppings
Mice are of the night, so they are not easy to find. That is why the droppings they leave behind show good signs of an infestation. A mouse produces between 50 and 75 droppings every single day. You can determine the extent of a mouse infestation by the number of droppings you observe and where you saw them.
It is a brilliant idea to either check or has a professional inspect the areas listed below in your home if you suspect mice are taking place;
Pantries,
kitchen
Cabinets and the other regions where foodstuffs are stored.
Bathroom cabinets and closets
Attic and crawl space
Utility closets and areas close to appliances and water heaters
Any part of your home where there are exposed pipes, holes in walls, or air vents.
How to Get Rid of Mouse Droppings
The first step you need to do to remove mouse droppings is to eliminate the mouse that is causing it. You can remove the droppings as a preliminary test, but if the mouse or mice are still present in your home, then be ready to face new droppings daily.
It is better if you have a professional aid to eliminate the mice and the droppings. But if you do not want the help of a professional to get rid of the droppings, the CDC (Centres for Disease Control and Prevention) cautions that it is not a brilliant idea to have contact or pick up the droppings with your bare hands.
Air out space where you saw the droppings for at least half an hour before cleaning.
Put on rubber, latex, or vinyl gloves along with a breathing mask or respirator.
Make use of a disinfectant spray on the area and soak in for about 5 minutes. Also, you can make your version by mixing one part bleach to 10 parts water.
Clean the area with paper towels or disposable rags.
Place the mouse pellets and disposable cleaning supplies into a plastic bag and seal it very well.
Put the sealed bag in a trash can that is well covered, and get rid of the trash as soon as possible.
Also, it is crucial to avoid sweeping or vacuuming up mice droppings before cleaning the particular area adequately. Particles from mouse pellets could become airborne, potentially enabling members of the household stick.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
How dangerous are mouse pellets?
Mouse droppings are hazardous. Hantavirus can be transmitted through coming into contact or even breathing in the dust from the mouse droppings. Because of this, it is very crucial to find mouse droppings and clean it up.
How can you know if mouse droppings are fresh?
When mouse droppings are fresh, they are usually darker in color and are slightly wet to touch.
If you have discovered mouse droppings but no mouse, you may have got a mouse infestation at the perfect time, but it can also not be possible. If you don’t do anything about it, you could end up with a mice infestation.
